Screw type door lock for railway cars



Aug. 25, 1964 F. P. ADLER 3,146,009

SCREW TYPE DOOR LOCK FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Oct. 20. 1961 United StatesPatent 3,146,009 SCREW TYPE DOOR LOCK FOR RAILWAY CARS Franklin P.Adler, Michigan City, Ind., assignor to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 146,649 4Claims. (Cl. 292115) This invention relates to an improved door lockingmeans for vertically sliding doors and is particularly well adapted foruse in connection with a roll up type door used in open side railwaycars or the like.

As pointed out in my copending application, Serial No. 134,259, filedAugust 28, 1961, the weight of the door is taken up by the threshold.Therefore it is desirable to lock the door with respect to the thresholdrather than with respect to the door post.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved door lock whichclamps the door against a reinforced threshold structure and which alsoserves as a door lock and a car seal. By using a clamping type of doorlock, the problem of the hammering of the door on the threshold isavoided, which hammering would otherwise occur when the car is intransit.

Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement in which thedoor locking means is loosely mounted on the car structure for purposesof manipulation, but which is nevertheless connected thereto so that itcannot be completely separated therefrom. Thus, there is no possibilityof the locking mechanism becoming mislaid during the loading of the car.

Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

With referencenow to the drawings in which like reference numeralsrepresent like parts:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a fragmentary portion of a car, showing apreferred embodiment of my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken along line 22 of FIG. .1.

The reference numeral designates a portion of the side sill of a railwaycar, and the reference numeral 11 designates the bottom section of aroll up door. The manner in which the roll up door is mounted on the caris disclosed in greater detail in the aforementioned copendingapplication.

The door section 11 includes a roller 12 which cooperates with a doorpost, not shown.-

Mounted on the side sill 10 is a threshold plate 13 against which thedoor abuts when in its closed position, the threshold being at about thesame level as the floor structure 17.

The door section 11 may be formed of aluminum alloy extrusions, and isprovided at its lower part with a reinforcing angle 14, preferably ofsteel, and which preferably runs for the full width of the door. Thedoor section 11 also is provided with a flexible seal 15 of neoprene orthe like, and this is mounted on an angle 16 which depends from thelower edge of the door section 11. Thus, the angle 16 is the doorelement which abuts the threshold plate 13.

The door locking device comprises a draw bolt 20 having a lower shankportion 21 which is threaded. A nut 22, in the form of a hand wheelcooperates with the threaded shank portion 21. The upper end of the drawbolt 20 is provided with a hook 23 which extends through an opening 24in the door so that the door can be urged downwardly by the draw bolt20. The reinforcing angle 14 serves to distribute the stress of the drawbolt 20 over the width of the door section 11.

A reaction plate 25 is welded at one end to the threshold plate 13, andat the other end to the side sill 10. The

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threshold plate is provided with a slot 26 and the reaction plate withan opening 27 through which the draw bolt 20 extends, and the dimensionsof the slot 26 and opening 27 are sufficient as to receive the draw boltloosely so that it can be manipulated; that is, so that the hook can beinserted in ,or removed from the opening 24.

Thus, when the hook 23 is inserted into the opening 24 and the handwheel 22 is tightened up, the door section 11 and angle 16 will beclamped against the threshold plate'13.

In order to provide some positive connection between the lockingmechanism and the car structure, the upper shank portion 28 of the drawbolt 20 is provided with a slot 29. A retainer 36 extends through theslot, and is in the form of an L-shaped rod which is welded at eitherend to the reaction plate 25. Thus, the draw bolt is loosely mounted onthe threshold plate for purposes of manipulation, but nevertheless itcannot be separated therefrom. The lower end of the threaded shank 21may be upset by staking 38 to prevent separation of the hand wheel 22from the draw bolt 20.

Car seal means are provided to give an indication that the lock has beentampered with. The hand wheel 22 is provided with a plurality ofprojections 32 any one of which may be engaged by a slotted seal arm 33which is pivotally mounted on a bracket 34 secured to the side sill 10.Thus, when the parts havebeen drawn up into the operated position sothat door section 11 is tightly clamped against the threshold plate 13,the seal arm 33 is swung up into engagement with one of the projections32 which looks the hand wheel against further rotation in eitherdirection. Each projection is provided with a hole 35 through which asuitable car seal 36 is threaded, thus preventing disengagement of theseal arm 33 and the hand wheel 22. As shown in FIG. 1, the width of theslot 37 in the seal arm 33 is substantially the same as the widthdimension of the projections 32 so that it is not possi'ble'to swing theseal arm 33 outwardly and downwardly without first removing the car seal36; in other words, the clearance between the projections 32 and sidewalls of the slot 37 is relatively small with the result that thepresence of the transversely arranged band element, from which the carseal 36 is fabricated, will prevent outwardly swinging movement of theseal arm 23.

The threshold plate 13 and the reaction plate 25 cooperate with eachother to provide a reinforced threshold plate structure which, at thepoint of the clamping means is strong enough to take up the clampingforces.

As shown in FIG. 2, a hollow casting 39, which provides an edge forhooking the door lock, is provided on the inside of the opening 24 toprevent the entrance of moisture, dirt, etc. into the hollow lower doorsection 11.

To summarize the operation which has been pointed out in detail inconnection with the description of the parts, FIGS. 1 and 2 show thedoor lock in its operative position. To unlock the door, the car seal 36is first cut and removed, then the seal arm 33 is swung outwardly anddownwardly to disengage the hand wheel 22, and then the hand wheel 22 isunscrewed to permit elevation of the draw bolt 20 and removal thereoffrom the opening 24 in the door section 11. A finger piece 31 isprovided to facilitate manipulation. Then the draw bolt is permitted todrop downwardly through the slot 26 in the threshold plate so that thefinger piece 31 rests on the retainer rod 30. Thus, when in itsunoperated position, no part of the draw bolt projects above thethreshold plate. This permits the door and door post assembly to beswung outwardly as a unit when the door lock is used with the type ofdoor construction shown in my aforesaid copending application.

In locking the door, the process is reversed.

Although only a preferred embodiment of my inven- 3 tion has been shownand described herein, it will be understood that various modificationsand changes may be made in the construction shown without departing fromthe spirit of my invention as pointed out by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A door lock for use in clamping the lower edge of the verticallysliding door of a swingably mounted door and door post assembly to thethreshold of a railway car comprising, in combination, a draw bolthaving a threaded shank portion, a nut cooperating with said threadedshank portion, a reaction plate mounted on the underside of saidthreshold and providing a cavity therebetween, said draw bolt extendingthrough said threshold and through said reaction plate with said nutlocated below said reaction plate, means on the upper end of said drawbolt engaging said door to draw said door downwardly into engagementwith said threshold plate when said nut is tightened up against saidreaction plate, said draw bolt having a slotted upper shank portion, andretainer means mounted between said reaction plate and said thresholdand extending through said slotted upper shank portion to preventseparation of said draw bolt from the car structure, said thresholdhaving an opening formed therein of dimensions sufficient to receivesaid door engaging means whereby said door engaging means may beentirely received within said cavity with no part of said draw boltprojecting above said threshold plate in order to permit said door anddoor post assembly to be swung outwardly as a unit over said thresholdplate.

2. A door lock for use in clamping the lower edge of the verticallysliding door of a swingably mounted door and door post assembly to thethreshold of a railway car comprising, in combination, a draw bolthaving a threaded shank portion, a nut cooperating with said threadedshank portion, a reaction plate mounted on the underside of saidthreshold and providing a cavity therebetween, said draw bolt extendingthrough said threshold and through said reaction plate with said nutlocated below said reaction plate, means on the upper end of said drawbolt engaging said door to draw said door downwardly into engagementwith said threshold plate when said nut is tightened up against saidreaction plate, said draw bolt having a slotted upper shank portion, aretainer member mounted on said reaction plate and extending throughsaid slotted upper shank portion to prevent separation of said draw boltfrom the car structure, and car seal means for locking said nut againstrotation, said threshold having an opening formed therein of dimensionssufficient to receive said door engaging means whereby said doorengaging means may be entirely received within said cavity with no partof said draw bolt projecting above said threshold plate in order topermit said door and door post assembly to be swung outwardly as a unitover said threshold plate.

3. A door lock for use in clamping the lower edge of a verticallysliding door to the threshold of a railway car comprising, incombination a draw bolt having a threaded shank portion, a hand wheelcooperating with said threaded shank portion, said hand wheel having aplurality of outwardly and radially extending projections on itsperiphery, a reaction plate mounted on the underside of said thresholdto provide a reinforced threshold structure, said draw bolt extendingthrough said threshold structure with said hand wheel located below saidthreshold structure, means on the upper end of said draw bolt engagingsaid door to draw said door downwardly into engagement with saidthreshold structure when said hand wheel is tightened up against same,and car seal means including a slotted seal arm pivotally mounted on thecar structure below said threshold structure and having a portionoverlying said hand wheel interlocking selectively with one of saidprojections to lock said hand wheel against rotation.

4. A door lock as claimed in claim 3 in which said projections areprovided at their outer portions with openings constructed to receive asealing strap, said slotted seal arm when in its operative position,being located between said openings and the periphery of said handwheel, whereby a sealing strap passing through said openings will locksaid seal arm in its operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS774,439 Lloyd Nov. 8, 1904 1,313,687 Hellweg Aug. 19, 1919 1,719,272 LeeJuly 2, 1929 2,113,776 Smith Apr. 12, 1938 2,134,314 ODonnell Oct. 25,1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,937 Great Britain of 1900

1. A DOOR LOCK FOR USE IN CLAMPING THE LOWER EDGE OF THE VERTICALLYSLIDING DOOR OF A SWINGABLY MOUNTED DOOR AND DOOR POST ASSEMBLY TO THETHRESHOLD OF A RAILWAY CAR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A DRAW BOLTHAVING A THREADED SHANK PORTION, A NUT COOPERATING WITH SAID THREADEDSHANK PORTION, A REACTION PLATE MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAIDTHRESHOLD AND PROVIDING A CAVITY THEREBETWEEN, SAID DRAW BOLT EXTENDINGTHROUGH SAID THRESHOLD AND THROUGH SAID REACTION PLATE WITH SAID NUTLOCATED BELOW SAID REACTION PLATE, MEANS ON THE UPPER END OF SAID DRAWBOLT ENGAGING SAID DOOR TO DRAW SAID DOOR DOWNWARDLY INTO ENGAGEMENTWITH SAID THRESHOLD PLATE WHEN SAID NUT IS TIGHTENED UP AGAINST SAIDREACTION PLATE, SAID DRAW BOLT HAVING A SLOTTED UPPER SHANK PORTION, ANDRETAINER MEANS MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID REACTION PLATE AND SAID THRESHOLDAND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOTTED UPPER SHANK PORTION TO PREVENTSEPARATION OF SAID DRAW BOLT FROM THE CAR STRUCTURE, SAID THRESHOLDHAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN OF DIMENSIONS SUFFICIENT TO RECEIVESAID DOOR ENGAGING MEANS WHEREBY SAID DOOR ENGAGING MEANS MAY BEENTIRELY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID CAVITY WITH NO PART OF SAID DRAW BOLTPROJECTING ABOVE SAID THRESHOLD PLATE IN ORDER TO PERMIT SAID DOOR ANDDOOR POST ASSEMBLY TO BE SWUNG OUTWARDLY AS A UNIT OVER SAID THRESHOLDPLATE.